Everything's Changing
by vignette1989
Summary: Takes place right after the end of episode 3x15, "The Final Nail." Chapter one is rated K  and can stand alone. The M rating is for chapter 2, which is pure and unapologetic smut. Read and review, if you please.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Castle, or any of the characters. Read and review, if you please... Thanks!

When Kate Beckett woke up on Valentine's Day, the last place she thought she'd end up was sitting at a candle-lit table for two across from Richard Castle. But as they wrapped their case, agreed on the mutual need for a drink and made their way toward their usual bar, they began noticing that all their usual haunts had already been transformed to encourage canoodling couples to come in.

After passing their four favorite places, they finally decided on an Irish tavern a few blocks from Beckett's apartment. Nestled into a corner booth, they tried to ignore the couples surrounding them as they settled into their usual banter.

A couple hours and more than a few beers later, the growing line outside the bar made them feel guilty enough to ask the waitress for the tab.

Castle reached for the bill instinctively, and cut her protests off before they were even audible.

"Kate, it's Valentine's Day. I'm getting this one," he insisted.

It may have been the beer. It may have been the candle-light. But she sat back in her seat and smiled, watching him fiddle with his wallet. The last few weeks had had their ups and downs for the pair. It began with a heated conversation. She had come so close to hearing him admit the real reasons he's still working at the precinct when that kiss had changed everything.

The kiss was amazing. Incredible. It was simultaneously pretend and real. Kate was no idiot. She knew Castle had felt the fireworks she felt during that kiss too. Those kinds of fireworks didn't happen when two people were acting strictly for business. And while it should have been the moment that sparked them to stop pretending, it scared them both. Just as they had started to make progress, they put their walls back up and retreated.

During their next case, Kate found herself all too eager to accept the chance to go back undercover with Castle. She didn't think twice about slipping into that slinky dress and applying a little extra makeup before they left for that nightclub. And when she heard Martha Castle ask if they were headed out for a date, she also found herself longing to say yes. That night, as she danced with Castle, she allowed herself to momentarily revel in the feel of his hands on her, his eyes on her. She knew they were still pretending. But she had never wanted this badly for this to be real.

"Beckett…?" Kate snapped back to attention to see Castle standing before her, waiting to help her out of her seat and into her coat.

"Sorry, Castle," she fumbled. "I guess I had a couple more beers than I expected to."

"Well then I guess I should uphold my reputation as a perfect gentleman and walk you home," he smiled. His hand found its way to the small of her back as he guided her through the maze of tables and out the door.

The city was humming with the excitement of lovers passing them by. She realized that everyone they passed would assume Castle was her boyfriend. This made her smile. And whether it was because she was so used to putting on a show for the benefit of what others thought of them, or because she was tired of pretending, she looped her arm through his, leaned into his frame and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you yesterday, Castle," she said quietly. "I know you—"

She stopped when she felt him turn his head and press a kiss to her hair.

"No, Beckett," he said softly. "You were doing your job. Regardless of how everything turned out, I was out of line."

"You're great at what you do, Castle," she began again, a little unsure of herself. She took a deep breath. "You're the best partner I've ever had. I don't like working cases without you. So please work on your objectivity so I never have to again."

She was a bit frightened when he didn't say anything. But then she felt his arm unsnake itself from the loop between their bodies and wrap instead around her shoulder, pulling her in closer.

"I don't like the thought of you working cases without me either," he said simply.

They fell into a comfortable silence until they reached Kate's building. They slowed down and Castle released his hold on her.

"So, I guess I'll see you tomorr—"

"Come up with me, Castle," Kate said bluntly.

His eyes met hers, questioning what she meant.

"Please," she whispered. "We've done this for too long. I don't want to be alone tonight." Her hands found his and clutched them, holding him in case he decided to turn and run away.

"What about Josh?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for his shift to end?"

"Castle, we broke up a while ago. I just wasn't ready for everyone to know yet. He wasn't what I was looking for," Kate admitted. Castle released his hands from her clenched hands. She closed her eyes in defeat, content on not opening them until he was a good ten blocks away.

"Kate, are you coming, or not?" His voice came from behind her and she spun around while letting out a sigh of relief. She beamed as she caught up with him and took them both by surprise when she clutched his lapels, pulling him down for a sweet kiss, right in the middle of the sidewalk.

Rick's hands traveled to her hips, holding her in place as he smiled into her lips. She felt her own mouth smiling back and she realized she never wanted this moment to end. As the kiss continued, she allowed herself to reveal everything she had been trying to hide from him. Her hands gripped his hair as his wandered over her back and sides.

She heard herself release a whispered moan when his teeth nipped at her bottom lip and he quickly pulled away.

Rick's hand cupped the side of her face as they each caught their breath. A car horn from across the street brought them both back to reality.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Kate," whispered Rick.

With a devious grin she turned sharply and took the last few steps to the building's door. With a look behind her shoulder and a beckoning motion with her fingers, she giggled and opened the door, waiting for him.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Rick. Now hurry up and get inside."


	2. Chapter 2

Kate knew things were moving quickly, but as the elevator doors slid closed, she decided to leave her hesitancy on the other side of them. Rick's lips were on her neck and she realized two years of mental and sexual foreplay was more than enough.

She sighed and tilted her head, granting him better access. As the bell chimed with each passing floor, Rick was moving his way down her neck to her sensitive collar bone. He teased her with his tongue and teeth when he heard her gasp sharply.

The doors flew open and they were stumbling down the hall to her door, laughing at the sheer humor of the two of them finding one another like this. He couldn't keep his hands off her as she fumbled for her keys and unlocked the door. And as soon as they were safely behind it, she backed up against the cool metal and pulled him as close to her as she could.

She could feel that he was as aroused as she was. She didn't see why her constant torturing of him should stop now, so she ground her hips sensuously against his, and giggled at the audible groan he let out.

"What's wrong, Rick?" she laughed.

Instead of answering, he hiked her legs up and pinned her against the door, wrapping her legs around his waist and gripping her ass firmly, kissing her harder than he had yet.

It was her turn to groan this time.

"Mmmmm…. Rick… Uhhhhh." His hips rocked into her core and she thought she was going to scream.

Her hands left his hair and began making work of his shirt buttons. She immediately began exploring his chest and shoulders while trying to shove his shirt down completely.

He set her down and shrugged the shirt off before yanking her top up over her head. She didn't hesitate before reaching for his belt buckle. She looped her fingers in it and tugged him along down the hallway into her bedroom.

"Lay down, Castle," she yelled. He laughed but complied with her instructions. He settled into her pillows and watched as her devious grin snuck back onto her face. Kate saucily undressed herself down to her black lacy bra and boyshorts for him, getting off on his visible excitement.

"God, you're beautiful," he said as she crawled up the bed and kissed him hard. She straddled his body and teased his hips with hers while his hands explored her chest. He cupped and squeezed freely, cataloging her sighs and moans as he went along. Kate reached between them, releasing the buckle and buttons on his belt and pants. She unzipped them torturously slow and slipped her hand inside to stroke his length.

"Get these pants off, Rick," she moaned to him. She climbed off him and helped him remove his pants, socks and shorts. He planted a long, lingering kiss on her lips as he laid her back on the pillows. Slowly, he traveled from her mouth, down her neck and to the curve of her breasts.

She toyed with his hair as he easily unhooked her bra and slid it off, eager to give her breasts some attention. He rolled and kneaded one nipple while his mouth instantly found the other, making her squirm with pleasure. He switched sides and felt his own cock harden as her breath hitched and her hips moved up off the bed while he worked.

With some hesitation, Rick left her chest and continued downward. He feathered kisses all over her stomach and his hands slid her panties down her legs slowly. As they traveled back up her legs, he took time to rub her thighs. He felt a sense of pride when he realized how wet her sex was. Her thighs were damp and hot.

He slid one finger over her core, parting the lips slightly. He felt her shiver and moan and he knew he couldn't keep her waiting much longer, even if he did want to torture her more.

Sliding one finger into her, he let his tongue search out her sensitive clit. He flicked at it while sliding another finger in and moving them in and out. She moaned loudly now, tugging at his hair.

He curled his fingers around as he took her bud into his mouth, letting his teeth graze at it, sucking it and swirling his tongue around it.

He worked her until he could feel her muscles beginning to contract. Her breathing was labored and he had to use his free hand to keep her hips flat on the bed.

Sensing him let up, Kate tugged on his hair until he came back to her. She kissed him passionately, pouring everything she was feeling into it. She wrapped one leg around his ass, pinning him to her. She could feel his arousal against her.

"Please, Rick. I need you," she managed to whisper between kisses. "Please…"

When he didn't move, she took matters into her own hands. Quite literally. Grasping his length, she pumped him a few times and listened to his sighs before she positioned him at her entrance. Kissing him again, she wrapped her legs around him, waiting for him to slide into her.

With one deep motion, he rocked into her as far as he could, keeping eye contact. Their groans were hot.

He began to move in and out of her passionately. Her whimpers were erotic and their movements slowly became more and more desperate.

The sounds Kate was making were driving him wild. He realized that they could never get old.

"Uhhhnnn, Rick…. Ohh fuck. Yess." She was going to make him come just with the noises coming from her.

It didn't take long before Rick was slamming into her, plunging as deep as he could, and Kate was lifting her hips to meet his thrusts. Her nails were digging into his shoulder blades.

"Shit… Yeah… I'm gonna…" she trailed off as Rick's hand found its way to her clit again and worked at it.

"I want to see you come, Kate," he grunted while his thumb pressed down and rubbed the bud in circles.

All at once, she lost control, arching her back and yelling his name over and over again. Her muscles clenching around him, he felt himself falling over the edge with her. He pumped a few more times and kissed her hard before collapsing at her side, drawing her body to his.

"Oh… my God," she breathed to him. They smiled into the kiss and began drifting off to sleep.

"Rick…" she whispered. He opened his eyes. "I know this is all happening fast, but I just want you to know that I am so, so happy right now. No jokes. No teasing. You make me really happy…" she trailed off and closed her eyes with a genuine smile on her face.

He recognized how tender this moment was, coming from her, and he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep with a smile to match hers.


End file.
